Build Me Up, Buttercup

To read about my dinner with David Macauley (okay, and a few other people... though we did sit at the same table!) at the National Building Museum, go to Pajamazon.

Right now, no dawdling.

Thank you!

Librarians Rock!

Please visit me at Pajamazon! to see my tribute to librarians that rock (in more ways than one).

And please tell your favorite librarian (or teacher or media specialist) to come visit me in person at the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Washington, DC.

At the ALA conference, I will be signing books at the Abrams booth (#1700) on Saturday, June 23 from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. I'll also have free classroom and activity guides, bookmarks and a squirrel on my head (see photo, previous post).

Rock on!

Attention ALA Early Birds!

As you may have read on Pajamazon:

This coming Saturday (June 23, 2007) I will be attending the American Library Association's Annual Conference in Washington, DC and I will be signing books at the ABRAMS booth (”A-brams, beautiful A-brams, wonderful A-brams, I love you SO!” See? It does work to the Star Wars theme!), which is # 1700, from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. If you happen to swing by Starbucks first, I prefer dark roast coffee, milk, no sugar. Kidding! I mean, yes, that is my brew of choice, but I will be fully caffeinated so just bring yourself.

If you are coming to the conference it is is worth arriving early, not just because you’ll get to pick up one of my books and have me personally sign it. There’s all sorts of good swag available and the best stuff goes fast (I’m particularly fond of my TIME FOR NEW UNDERPANTS tote bag from last year’s BEA). In addition to books, I will have copies of the excellent NINETY-THREE IN MY FAMILY classroom and storytime activity guide (a big hit with librarians and teachers, I’ll have you know) and some really cute new bookmarks if the printer fulfills its promises. Good printer, nice printer.

So come on by and say hi! I won’t bite and neither will the squirrel on my head. He is a stuffie, as my kids would be quick to inform you, so he’s safe.

I Want My Pajamazon!

Today I am posting my blog entry on Pajamazon and not here (since Offsprung launched and I started writing Pajamazon, I have been double-posting, which seems likely to win me a lovely case of carpal tunnel syndrome). It is a fun entry about a great book I just read: A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT, by Linda Urban (who should be named Linda Rural, since she lives in Vermont... and I am allowed to make that joke because I grew up in Vermont). Check it out here.

Also, check out the rest of Offsprung. There are some great columns (I particularly like Huxtabled, the tv column, and Zooglobble, the music column, plus I love The Cleaver and Meconium and everything Neal writes... you just can't go wrong on our site!) and a new chatting feature called The Playground which seems very cool and has the excellent slogan "Use Your Words." And if you like Pajamazon, which is my children's books column, tell your friends and bookmark it and add it to your feed reader of choice and send me comments and all that good stuff.

OK, so get yer Pajamazon and I'll see you there!

Brits Get There First, Again!

No word yet on who will be the U.S.A.’s first “children’s literature ambassador” but the U.K. has just named its fifth children’s laureate: Michael Rosen, author of Michael Rosen’s Sad Book, a rare picture book willing to explore and embrace the darker side of children’s emotional range, among other titles.

Rosen was appointed to the post at a ceremony in London this morning. Rosen received a £10,000 (about $20,000) stipend for the post, which he holds for the next two years.

Following illustrator Quentin Blake and authors Anne Fine, Michael Morpurgo and the current children’s laureate, Jacqueline Wilson, Rosen is the first poet to become children’s laureate. Rosen has set his mission as children’s laureate to make poetry as accessible as possible. “I think poetry for children needs to be saved from the cold dissection table of right and wrong answers and put back into rooms and halls full of wonder, compassion, haunting, laughter, music and rhythm,” said Rosen.

Rosen first poetry collection, Mind Your Own Business, was published in 1974, and he has since published more than 140 books including poetry, picture books and nonfiction; his next is a biography of Roald Dahl. His classic picture book We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury, won the Nestle Smarties Grand Prize (now there’s an award I’d love to win - yum! plus dig the double ententre in winning The Smartie Prize!) in 1989. In addition to his writing, Rosen is well-known for his work as a live performer, broadcaster, teacher and critic. He is a familiar radio voice in the U.K., where he regularly hosts BBC radio programs.

Apparently, we’ll finally get our own American version of the children’s laureate in January, 2008. Not that we’ll be able to catch up with those cheeky Brits, who will forever be five (and a half!) appointments ahead of us.

Still, this one is very deserved, so heartiest congratulations to Rosen.